The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 26-002. The purpose of this communication is to provide guidance regarding the intent and purpose of an Individual Support Plan (ISP) meeting and whether attending an ISP meeting is a billable unit of service.
Please view the announcement for more details. Questions about this announcement should be directed to the appropriate ODP BSASP Regional Office.
On July 1, 2025, the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP) rolled out a new assessment bundle for the Adult Autism Waiver (AAW). The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is interested in hearing from Supports Coordinators (SC) and providers on their experiences with implementing the new assessments.
Please join ODP for a Virtual Office Hour (VOH) to share feedback, ask questions, and review resource materials.
Who should attend?
All AAW SCs and Providers
Date: January 30, 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Register Here
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 25-116. The purpose of this communication is to inform providers of Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) services and Supports Coordination Organizations (SCO) of the updated provider qualification process.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) require a statewide process to ensure providers are qualified to render services to waiver-funded individuals. The Provider Qualification Process described in the communication outlines the steps the provider must follow to meet these requirements, and the steps Supports Coordinators (SC) must take to transition individuals if needed. This communication does not describe the qualification process for AAW SCOs.
NOTE: The release of this communication obsoletes ODP Announcement 20-110 New Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) Provider Qualification Process.
Providers that are shared across Intellectual Disability/Autism (ID/A) and the AAW must complete the Provider Qualification processes with both their assigned Administrative Entity (AE) for the ID/A waivers and the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP) for the AAW.
Please view the full announcement for complete details.
Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) — An Overview and Practical Application
Note: This training satisfies the basic autism training requirement for Residential Performance-Based Contracting (PBC). Please see more details below on Continuing Education (CE) Credits. This training is an approved alternative to the SPeCTRUM offered on MyODP.
Over the years, the prevalence of autism has increased, Pennsylvania’s service delivery system for individuals with autism has expanded, and best practices to provide quality supports have emerged. To support the individual needs of each person with autism across the lifespan, an understanding of core characteristics must be established. It is also important to learn how the individual’s presentation of autism may change across settings and situations.
This training will provide attendees with an in-depth presentation on core characteristics of autism and the impact of the characteristics on daily life, routines, and activities. A review of common terms and basic principles used to change behavior, teach new skills, and develop practical application of best practices will be included. Opportunity for discussion and engagement will occur throughout the training in the virtual setting.
Who should attend?
Direct Support Professionals, Front Line Supervisors, and Program Managers supporting individuals with autism in residential and other home and community-based settings.
Professionals supporting individuals in the Adult Autism Waiver (AAW), Adult Community Autism Program (ACAP), Consolidated Person/Family-Directed Support (P/FDS), and Community Living waivers are encouraged to attend.
Where and when will sessions be held?
You must register separately for each session.
Continuing Education Units (CEU):
This training satisfies the basic autism training requirement for Residential Performance-Based Contracting measures CN-DD/Bx.01.1S and CN-DD/Bx.01.1CE for all Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), Frontline Supervisors (FLS), and program managers. This training also fulfills 6100 ongoing training requirements.
To receive a training certificate, attendees must attend both virtual sessions.
Please contact the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP) Training Inbox with questions.
The Office of Development Programs (ODP) has shared a link to the most recent version of the Adult Autism Waiver’s Supports & Services Directory (SSD) for October 2025. Providers should review your contact information in the SSD. Please submit any questions or updates for the directory via email with “SSD” in the Subject Line.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 25-074. This announcement is to communicate the updated process for ODP’s Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP) to initially qualify new provider applicants for the AAW effective August 1, 2025.
Pursuant to 55 Pa. Code §6100.82 (relating to enrollment documentation) and the service qualification requirements specified in Appendix C of the AAW to become a qualified provider, applicants must:
Please review the announcement for additional information and details.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has released Bulletin 00-25-02: Individual Eligibility for the Consolidated, P/FDS, Community Living and Adult Autism Waivers and the accompanying attachment.
The purpose of this bulletin is to communicate:
Additional resources to assist with the evaluation and re-evaluation of HCBS eligibility for services and supports are available on MyODP’s website.
This bulletin obsoletes Office of Developmental Programs 00-19-04: Individual Eligibility for the Consolidated, P/FDS and Community Living Waivers.
TOPIC: Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Overview and Practical Application
On behalf of the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP), due to a widespread power outage when we were scheduled to conduct the Western Region ASD Seminar in April, we have decided to hold an additional session. We welcome anyone interested to register for this event!
Reminder: This seminar satisfies the basic autism training requirement for Residential Performance-Based Contracting. Please see more details below on Continuing Education Credits.
Over the years the prevalence of autism has increased, Pennsylvania’s service delivery system for individuals with autism has expanded, and best practices to provide quality supports have emerged. To support the individual needs of each person with autism across the lifespan, an understanding of core characteristics must be established. It is also important to learn how the individual’s presentation of autism may change across settings and situations. This seminar will provide attendees with an in-depth presentation on core characteristics of autism and the impact of the characteristics on daily life, routines, and activities. A review of common terms and basic principles used to change behavior, teach new skills, and develop practical application of best practices will be included. Opportunity for discussion and engagement will occur throughout the seminar.
Who should attend?
Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), Front Line Supervisors, and Program Managers supporting individuals with autism in residential and other home and community-based settings. Professionals supporting individuals in the Adult Autism Waiver (AAW), Adult Community Autism Program (ACAP), Consolidated, Person/Family-Directed Support (P/FDS), and Community Living waivers are encouraged to attend.
Where and when will sessions be held?
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
*After logging into your MyODP account, completion of the Demographics Form is required before being able to register for a session.
Please contact the Bureau of Autism Training inbox with questions.
June 27, 2025
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Register Here
Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) providers are invited to participate in the AAW Provider Quarterly Incident and Risk Management meeting. This meeting will be held for all Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) providers and Support Coordinators (SC) providing AAW services. Pam Treadway and Heather Easley will facilitate these meetings with the intent to provide updates on incident and risk management related activities, share AAW data, inform providers of any upcoming changes, review ODP expectations, etc. Providers will be able to network with one another and ask questions directly to the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP).
The upcoming meeting will include recommendations for providers to ensure incidents are appropriately detailed so that during the Management Review process, the incident can be approved and closed. We highly encourage those who fulfill the Incident Management (IM) Representative role to attend this meeting.
Multiple staff from a provider may attend but should register separately. Be sure to complete all required information to confirm attendance. A link to the meeting will be sent prior to the scheduled meeting date.
Please contact the Provider Support inbox with questions.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 25-049. This announcement is to notify Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) and Adult Community Autism Program (ACAP) Behavioral Specialists as well as their supervisors that ODP’s Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP) is expecting a synthesis of FBAs in the form of the ODP BSASP FBA Summary Report to be maintained in the file of participants receiving Behavioral Specialist Services (BSS) through the AAW and ACAP and submitted as part of the Behavioral Specialist Plan review process.
Please view the announcement and FBA Summary Report for additional details.
